Question : Solid Waste

Will the Minister of HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that the Government is still following the very obsolete method of transporting solid wastes to landfills without any treatment;
(b) if so, the reasons therefor;
(c) whether the Government is aware of the hazards involved in the said method of waste management;
(d) if so, whether the Government would take steps to adopt the best practices prevalent in advanced countries; and
(e) if so, the details thereof?

THE MINISTER OF STATE (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) OF THE MINISTRY OF HOUSING AND URBAN AFFAIRS

(SHRI HARDEEP SINGH PURI)

(a): Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) is being collected, transported and dumped in the dumping sites and sanitary landfills by the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and thereafter some portion of it is being processed to produce compost and electricity from it as per the provisions of the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016. As on 28.02.2018, the total MSW generated per day is 1,43,558 Metric Tons (MT), out of which 24.80% is being scientifically processed. Rest is either land filled in Sanitary Landfills (SLF) or crudely dumped.

(b). Main reasons for dumping of waste on landfill sites are lack of mass awareness and infrastructure like waste processing and recycling plants for scientific management of MSW as per the provisions of the Solid Waste Management (SWM) Rules, 2016.
(c): Environmental and public health and hygiene hazards like air pollution, greenhouse gas emission, leachate generation, contamination of soil and water, etc, are associated with the improper dumping and un-scientific management of waste.

(d) and (e): Government has taken various steps for scientific management of waste, which include providing of financial assistance up to 35% for setting up SWM projects like Waste to Compost (WtC) and Waste to Energy (WtE) plants, subsidising the sale of city compost by Rs.1,500/- per MT and assured purchase of all the compost produced, notifying generic tariff of Rs. 7.04 per unit of power produced by WtE plants and Rs. 7.90 per unit of power produced from Refused Derived Fuel (RDF), assured purchase by State Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOMs) of all the power produced from MSW, issuing directions to all States for use of bituminous mixes with the plastic waste in construction of roads, making it mandatory for Bulk Waste Generators (i.e. hotels, hospitals, nursing homes, commercial establishments, markets, etc) to process all their wet/ biodegradable waste at their own premises, etc. Besides this, sustained IEC (Information, Education and Communication) campaign on source segregation, composting, 3Rs (Recycle, Reuse and Reduce), anti-littering, etc is also being undertaken for reduction of MSW generation and increasing scientific and safe disposal of MSW.
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